Black Student Union misses conference but has plans
By: Andrea Drac
Issue date: 11/23/09 Section: News
The 12th annual National Black Student Union Conference took place this past weekend in Lincolnshire, Ill. During the weekend-long event, Black Student Union groups from various campuses get together and celebrate.
"The BSU Conference takes place on a weekend, Friday through Sunday," PUC Black Student Union Vice President Rosalyn Jones said. "At the conference there is a meet-and-greet for all of the BSU members from other campuses, which allows them to get to know each other. Personal and leadership workshops also take place."
Jones first heard of the BSU National Conference through a fellow BSU member.
However, the cost of the event - $200 per person to attend - kept BSU away from the festivities.
"The cost was too much, and it was just too expensive," Jones said. "We wanted to go, but it cost too much for our whole group to go. So we were just going to send five of our advisors and leaders down there, but they ended up bowing out due to cost."
This would have been the first time PUC's BSU attended the national conference. Jones is not giving up hope for future visits.
"We hope to make this an annual thing for us soon," Jones said.
Even though BSU will not be celebrating anything at the national conference this year, they have plenty more things to celebrate. In particular, they will be celebrating their 40th anniversary, which comes up near the end of the year.
"The group was originally called Progressive Student Union until the 1970s, because the term 'black' was too radical then," Jones said.
According to the BSU website, the group was formed in 1968 during the Civil Rights Movement. Its purpose is to provide a collective structure that encourages, develops and protects the interest of students at PUC. To do this, they promote a unified campus environment by breaking down barriers of race, sex and religion to promote the importance of fellowship and community.
"One of our biggest plans right now is a banquet," Jones said about the anniversary event. "We're planning to have it on Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m."
The event, which will take place at the PUC Conference Center, requires formal attire. Big plans are in store.
"We are planning to have a formal sit down dinner and give out awards to our members," Jones said.
The BSU is also working on other surprises for the anniversary celebration.
"We are trying to get the founder of the Black Student Union to come and give a keynote speech," Jones said. "We also want to use that opportunity to tell him 'thank you' for coming up with the BSU and for allowing us to keep it going."
"The BSU Conference takes place on a weekend, Friday through Sunday," PUC Black Student Union Vice President Rosalyn Jones said. "At the conference there is a meet-and-greet for all of the BSU members from other campuses, which allows them to get to know each other. Personal and leadership workshops also take place."
Jones first heard of the BSU National Conference through a fellow BSU member.
However, the cost of the event - $200 per person to attend - kept BSU away from the festivities.
"The cost was too much, and it was just too expensive," Jones said. "We wanted to go, but it cost too much for our whole group to go. So we were just going to send five of our advisors and leaders down there, but they ended up bowing out due to cost."
This would have been the first time PUC's BSU attended the national conference. Jones is not giving up hope for future visits.
"We hope to make this an annual thing for us soon," Jones said.
Even though BSU will not be celebrating anything at the national conference this year, they have plenty more things to celebrate. In particular, they will be celebrating their 40th anniversary, which comes up near the end of the year.
"The group was originally called Progressive Student Union until the 1970s, because the term 'black' was too radical then," Jones said.
According to the BSU website, the group was formed in 1968 during the Civil Rights Movement. Its purpose is to provide a collective structure that encourages, develops and protects the interest of students at PUC. To do this, they promote a unified campus environment by breaking down barriers of race, sex and religion to promote the importance of fellowship and community.
"One of our biggest plans right now is a banquet," Jones said about the anniversary event. "We're planning to have it on Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m."
The event, which will take place at the PUC Conference Center, requires formal attire. Big plans are in store.
"We are planning to have a formal sit down dinner and give out awards to our members," Jones said.
The BSU is also working on other surprises for the anniversary celebration.
"We are trying to get the founder of the Black Student Union to come and give a keynote speech," Jones said. "We also want to use that opportunity to tell him 'thank you' for coming up with the BSU and for allowing us to keep it going."
Be the first to comment on this story